Photos: Brazil's revellers mourn for cancelled Carnival

People take pictures from Rio de Janeiro's sambadrome, which is lighted up with the colours of traditional Samba Schools that usually take part in parades during the Carnival celebrations which were to be held from February 12 until February 17, but were cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Anilson Costa, a reveller of the annual block party "Ceu na Terra", walks along with the Santa Teresa neighbourhood where the block party celebrated, as Carnival celebrations have been cancelled. The pandemic forced Rio authorities to cancel carnival for the first time in 109 years, leaving the iconic beach city full of "Saudades" - a Portuguese word that roughly translates as "longing" - for its biggest party of the year.

"For everyone who loves dancing and playing samba, for the entire Afro-Brazilian population, this is a very difficult time," said Nilcemar Nogueira, founder of Rio's Samba Museum, an homage to the percussion-driven musical style at the heart of carnival. Above, Marques de Sapucai Avenue, known as Passarela do Samba, blocked off in Rio de Janeiro.

Marcus Vinicius Araujo, 25, wears a costume which he would wear during the Carnival celebrations, but were cancelled due the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Rio de Janeiro. "It is a moment of understanding which we need to live. We are not celebrating Carnival now, but we are going to party from home, respecting the health security protocols and getting ready to come back on the next carnival with the usual happiness." Araujo said.

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival is considered as the world's largest open-air party, attracting millions of people annually, both Brazilians and foreigners. It consists of hundreds of troupes playing music in the streets followed by large crowds, and the traditional parade of samba schools in the Sambodromo.

Teacher Juliana Motta, 34, wears a costume which she would wear during the Carnival celebrations, but were cancelled due the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Rio de Janeiro. "It is sad, but it's necessary, it is a necessary temporary evil, it hurts but it is transient" Motta said about not having Carnival celebrations.

Members of a “bate-bola” or ball hitters group - men who dress up in exuberant, identical, hand-made costumes known as “fantasias” - run past in a brief appearance during a Carnival tradition despite restrictions due to the new coronavirus pandemic, in Rio de Janeiro. Rio’s city government officially suspended Carnival and warns it will have no tolerance for those who try to celebrate with open street parades or clandestine parties.

For generations, even in the most turbulent of times, the five-day extravaganza has remained a rare Brazilian constant. Dancers clad in glittering costumes shimmied to samba music despite the Spanish flu, both World Wars and a military dictatorship.

"Carnival is this yearly opportunity for catharsis, for relief," said Wagner Gonçalves, the creative art director, or carnavalesco, of Estácio de Sá, one of Rio's oldest and most traditional samba schools. "It is this encounter with joy and with unity. The world unites in this moment, to celebrate life, to celebrate joy." Above, actress Dandara Machado Abreu, 32, wears a costume which she would wear during the Carnival celebrations.

Architect Helena Schmidt, 37, wears a costume which she would wear during the Carnival celebrations. "It is a not ending sadness, we lose the happiness we have to move on all the year, without the carnival we lose the beauty, the child side of people. It is when we forget all the problems, so we miss something in the city without the Carnival", Schmidt said.

Paula Penteado and Reginaldo Pingo from Vai-Vai samba school dance on the phrase "All For Vaccines" written at Sao Paulo's Sambadrome as carnival celebrations were cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Sao Paulo.

A view shows the empty Rio de Janeiro's sambadrome, lighted up with the colours of traditional Samba Schools that usually take part in parades during the Carnival celebrations.

Francisca poses with her pet dog Eva during the annual dog Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro. Rio's Carnival festivities were cancelled due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Still, pet lovers from around the city gathered for the Carnival tradition that drew participants with their furry, four-legged companions to compete for best costume.

Sofia, 11, kisses her pet dog Sandy at the annual dog Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.